Pastoral Poetry and Pastoral Drama eBook

simple folk; and lastly Pistophanax, who seeks to
undermine the worship of Pan. Colax has, it appears,
already abused the love of Daphne, and won that of
Dorinda from her swain Mirtillus; Techne has sown
jealousy between the lovers Palaemon and Silvia; while
Lincus has set Montanus and Acrysius by the ears over
the possession of a bit of land. Ail the plotting
is overheard by the two concealed shepherds, who when
the crisis is reached come forward, call together
the Arcadians, expose the machinations of the evil-doers,
and procure their banishment from the country.
Such an automatic solution is obviously incompatible
with the smallest dramatic interest in the plot; it
is not a denoument at all, properly speaking,
but a severing of the skein after Alexander’s
manner, and it is impossible to feel any emotion at
the tragic complications when all the while the sword
lies ready for the operation.

The main amorous action centres round Cloris, beloved
of Amyntas and Carinus, the latter of whom is in his
turn loved by Amarillis. Carinus’ hopes
are founded on the fact that, in imitation of Tasso’s
Aminta, he has rescued Cloris from the hands of a
satyr, while Amyntas bases his upon certain signs
of favour shown him. Colax, however, also falls
in love with the nymph, and induces Techne to give
her tryst in a cave, where he may then have an opportunity
of finding her alone. Techne, hereupon, in the
hope of winning Amyntas’ affection for herself
if she can make him think Cloris unworthy, directs
him to the spot where she has promised to meet the
unsuspecting maiden. This is obviously borrowed
from the Pastor fido; indeed, Techne is none
other than Corisca under a new name, and it was no
doubt she who suggested to Daniel the introduction
of the other agents of civilization. Amyntas,
on seeing Cloris emerge from the cave in company with
Colax, at once concludes her guilt, and in spite of
all Techne’s efforts to restrain him rushes
off with the intention of putting an end to his life.
Techne, perceiving the ill-success of her plot, tells
Cloris of Amyntas’ resolve. We here return
to the imitation of Tasso: Cloris, like that
poet’s Silvia, begins by pretending incredulity
and indifference, but being at length convinced agrees
to accompany Techne in search of the desperate swain.
Daniel has produced what is little better than a parody
of the scene in his model. Not content with placing
in the girl’s mouth the preposterous excuse:

If it be done my help will
come too late,
And I may stay, and save that
labour here, (IV. iv.[251])

he has spun out the dialogue, already over-long in
the original, to an altogether inordinate and ludicrous
extent. When the pair at last come upon the unhappy
lover they find him lying insensible, a horn of poison
by him. The necessary sequel is reported by Mirtillus: